Wire-stretcher.



No. 692,753. Y S. H. WRIGHT.

wma sTETcHEn.

(Application led July 29, 1901.)

. Pa'te'ntd Feb. 4, |902..

(no Mpdel.)

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'i FNrrnn "STATES SAMUEL IGI. `VVRIGrHT', OF BEARfGROVE TOWNSHIP, ILLINOIS;

WIRE-STRETCH ER.

srnorroewlolvfermng para of Letters iatent No. 692,753, dated February 4', 190e;

Application nei July V29, 1901.

To all Lbtomt may concer-rz.:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL H. WRIGHT, a citizen of the United States, residing in Bear Grove township, in the county of Fayette and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Wire-Stretcher, of which the following is a specication.

The invention relates to improvements in wire-stretchers.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of wire-stretchers and to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efficient one designed for stretching barbed wire and adapted to be mounted independently of a post and capable of stretching a wire across the same and of securely holding the wire while it is being stapled or otherwise secured to the fence-post.

A further object of the invention is to provide simple and efcient means for enabling Woven-wire fencing to be readily stretched.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended. Y

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a wire-stretcher constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the same.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in both figures of the drawings.

1 designates a horizontal base provided near its end with depending pointed projections or spikes forming 'short stakes and 'adapted to be driven into the ground to anchor the base or ground-sill 1 at the desired point. The base is provided near its center with a slot or opening for the reception of the lower end of the lever 5, which is reduced to fit the opening and which is secured to the base or sill by a transverse pin or pivot 6, as clearly illustrated in Fig. l of the accompanying drawings. The operating-lever, which is designed to be connectedfwith the lwire to be stretched, is provided with a vertical series of perforations '7, arranged at intervals and adapted for the reception of a removable pin S for securing the slide or frame 9 to the le-V ver at the desired elevation. The slide or frame 9, which is approximately rectangular,

SerialNo. 70,142. (No model.)

is provided at its inner or rear end with a grip latter is connected with the Wire-stretcher; l

but any other suitable form of clamp may be employed for connecting either smooth or barbed wire with the wire-stretcher.. The lever is provided at its upper end with a suitable grip or handle 14, and it is'drawn backward to stretch the wire. The lever is locked or held after the wire has been stretched by means of a curved ratchet-bar 15, arranged at an inclination and pivoted at its lower end by a transverse pin 16 in a slot or bifurcation 17, located at one end of the base or sill 1. The lever is provided between its ends with a slot 18,' through which the ratchet-bar extends, and the said ratchet-bar, which is provided at its lower edge with shouldered ratchetteeth 19, is adapted to engage a transverse pin 2O of the lever. The transverse pin ex- The clamp 13 is designed for engagingl barbed wire, and when it is desired to stretch `woven wire aframe' 22 is employed, as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the accompanying draw- The framel 22 consists of an upright bar provided at its center and ends with horizontal hooks 23 and 24 and having an eye 25 at its back. The eye, which is ycentrally arranged, is connected by arms or braces 26 'with the bar above and below the center thereof. The hooks or wire-engaging devices 23 and 24 may be of any desired number, and the eye is engaged by the clamp 13.

IOO

The wire-stretcher is mounted independently of the fence-post, and a wire may be stretched across one or more posts and held while itis being stapled or otherwise fastened to them, and the Wire-engagng device may be readily moved upward and downward on the operating-lever to arrange it at the desired elevation and to increase the reach or power of the lever. .Also the wire-stretcher is adapted to enable barbed wire to be conveniently handled without liability of being injured by the same, and it is adapted to be anchored at one end of the fence, and the wires thereof may be successively stretched without changing the position of the wirestretcher.

What I claim isl. A portable wire-stretcher comprising a base designed to be arranged upon the ground and provided with means for detachably anchoring it, an upright lever fulcrumed at its lower end on the base and arranged to swing longitudinally of a fence for stretching the wires thereof, an inclined ratchet-bar secured at its lower end to the base and engaging and holding the lever at the desired adjustment, and a slide mounted on the lever and operating at a point above the ratchet and provided with means for engaging a fence-wire, substantially as described.

2. Awilest1etcl1ercomprisinga horizontal base provided with depending projections adapted to be embedded in the ground, an upright lever fulcrumed at its lower end on the base and provided With means for engaging a fence-wire, an inclined ratchet-bar pivoted at its lower end to the base and engaging the lever, and a stake connected with the ratchetbar and adapted t0 be driven into the ground, substantially as described.

3. A Wire-stretcher comprising a base, an upright stretching-lever, a ratchet-bar for holding the lever, a slide arranged on the lever and provided with an antifriction-roller, a Wire-engaging device carried by the slide, and means for securing the slide to the lever, substantially as described.

4. A wire-stretcher comprising a base provided between its ends with an opening and having one end bifurcated, a lever pivoted in the opening, a curved ratchet-bar pivoted in the bifurcation and engaging the lever, and a slide adapted to be moved upward and downward on the lever and provided with means for engaging fence-wire, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I havehereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL H. WRIGHT.

Witnesses:

W. D. WRIGHT, WM. W. VVRIGi-rr. 

